Office of Government Ethics Reauthorization Act of 1988

(Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment) Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to authorize appropriations for the Office of Government Ethics for FY 1989 and the five fiscal years thereafter. Establishes the Office of Government Ethics as an independent agency within the executive branch. (The Office is currently under the jurisdiction of the Office of Personnel Management.) Requires the Director of the Office to report to the Congress on its activities no later than March 31 of each year in which the second session of a Congress begins. Requires the Director to ensure that each executive agency has established procedures on how the agency is to collect, review, evaluate, and make public financial disclosure statements filed by its officers or employees. Requires the Director to prescribe regulations under which each executive agency shall be required to report to the Office on a description and evaluation of the agency's ethics program. Requires each agency to notify the Director regarding ethics matters that refer to officials outside the agency. Authorizes the Director to order specific corrective action for agencies based on failure to establish an ethics program or to modify such program. Authorizes the Director to recommend corrective action for any officer or employee found to have violated any law, rule, regulation, or Executive Order relating to conflicts of interest, standards of conduct, or financial disclosure. Increases the pay of the Director.

(Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 4712) Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to authorize appropriations for the Office of Government Ethics for FY 1989 and the five fiscal years thereafter. Establishes the Office of Government Ethics as an independent agency within the executive branch. (The Office is currently under the jurisdiction of the Office of Personnel Management.) Requires the Director to make an annual report to the Congress. Requires the Director to ensure that each executive agency has established procedures on how the agency is to collect, review, evaluate, and make public financial disclosure statements filed by its officers or employees. Requires the Director to prescribe regulations under which each executive agency shall be required to report to the Office on a description and evaluation of the agency's ethics program. Requires each agency to notify the Director regarding ethics matters that refer to officials outside the agency. Authorizes the Director to order specific corrective action for agencies based on failure to establish an ethics program or to modify such program. Authorizes the Director to recommend corrective action for any officer or employee found to have violated any law, rule, regulation, or Executive Order relating to conflicts of interest, standards of conduct, or financial disclosure.

(Measure passed Senate, amended) Office of Government Ethics Reauthorization Act of 1988 - Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to establish the Office of Government Ethics as an executive agency within the executive branch. (Currently, it is under the jurisdiction of the Office of Personnel Management.) Provides that the Director of the Office of Government Ethics may be removed from office by the President at the President's discretion. Revises and sets forth additional responsibilities of the Director, including: (1) developing rules and regulations for identifying and resolving conflicts of interest; (2) training prospective political appointees and Federal employees on ethics laws, rules, regulations, and standards of conduct and ethical decision making; (3) designating an individual in each executive agency as an agency ethics official; (4) establishing an advisory opinion service on matters of general applicability or matters of first impression; (5) providing support to agency ethics officials and counselors; (6) monitoring and investigating financial disclosure requirements; and (7) cooperating with the Attorney General in developing an effective system for reporting certain conflict of interest violations. Provides for removal and suspension appeal rights for agency ethics officials. Authorizes the Director to conduct an investigation and make findings concerning any allegation of violations of conflict of interest rules or regulations or of standards of conduct by an executive branch employee. Sets forth procedures for the Director in ordering and recommending action if the Director finds that such violation has occurred. Increases the authorized appropriations for the Office of Government Ethics for FY 1989 and authorizes appropriations for such office for the five fiscal years thereafter. Increases the pay of the Director.

(Reported to Senate from the Committee on Governmental Affairs with amendment, S. Rept. 100-392) Office of Government Ethics Reauthorization Act of 1988 - Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to establish the Office of Government Ethics as an executive agency within the executive branch. (Currently, it is under the jurisdiction of the Office of Personnel Management.) Provides that the Director of the Office of Government Ethics may be removed from office only for good cause. Revises and sets forth additional responsibilities of the Director, including: (1) developing rules and regulations for identifying and resolving conflicts of interest; (2) training prospective political appointees and Federal employees on ethics laws, rules, regulations, and standards of conduct and ethical decision making; (3) designating an individual in each executive agency as an agency ethics official; (4) establishing an advisory opinion service on matters of general applicability or matters of first impression; (5) providing support to agency ethics officials; (6) monitoring and investigating financial disclosure requirements; and (7) cooperating with the Attorney General in developing an effective system for reporting certain conflict of interest violations. Authorizes the Director to conduct an investigation and make findings concerning any allegation of violations of conflict of interest rules or regulations or of standards of conduct by an executive branch employee. Sets forth procedures for the Director in ordering and recommending action if the Director finds that such violation has occurred. Increases the authorized appropriations for the Office of Government Ethics for FY 1989 and authorizes appropriations for such office for the five fiscal years thereafter. Increases the pay of the Director.

Office of Government Ethics Reauthorization Act of 1988 - Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to establish the Office of Government Ethics as an independent agency within the executive branch. (Currently, it is under the jurisdiction of the Office of Personnel Management.) Provides that the Director of the Office of Government Ethics may be removed from office only for good cause. Revises and sets forth additional authorities of the Director. Requires the Director to develop rules and regulations for: (1) identifying and resolving conflicts of interest; (2) training prospective political appointees and Federal employees on ethics laws, rules, regulations, and standards of conduct and ethical decision making; and (3) designating an individual in each executive agency as an agency ethics official. Authorizes the Director to conduct an investigation and make findings concerning any allegation of violations of conflict of interest rules or regulations or of standards of conduct by an executive branch employee. Sets forth procedures for the Director in ordering and recommending action if the Director finds that such violation has occurred. Increases the authorized appropriations for the Office of Government Ethics for FY 1989 and authorizes appropriations for such office for the five fiscal years thereafter. Increases the pay of the Director.